We will offer two types of awards to support original research led by UC Berkeley PhD students. A total of approximately $100,000 will be made available through this competition:
(1) travel grants up to $5,000 for scoping and/or short-term fieldwork;
(2) seed grants up to $20,000 for extensive, longer-term projects.
Proposed research must involve rigorous evaluation of programs or policies designed to alleviate poverty and promote social or economic development in low- and middle- income countries. Grant funds may be used to cover travel and lodging, data collection or access, data analysis, and related activities. Grants may not be used for student payment.
Researchers that have previously received CEGA funding are eligible for additional CEGA funding if they have completed requested retrospective surveys, interim and final reports, or other required deliverables.
Deadline: April 26, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time
Eligibility Criteria: Doctoral students at UC Berkeley can apply.
Each application must include a nomination from a CEGA faculty affiliate sponsor. The nomination should be emailed to Sam Bordia (bordia@berkeley.edu) by the submission deadline (simply stating, "I have reviewed the proposed research and agree to nominate the applicant for this award" is adequate).
Application Process:
Please complete the Application Form. Applications must include a proposal describing the research (no more than 2 pages) and a budget.
Location: Fully remote, with the option to work from our offices in Berkeley, CA
Duration: 9 months (through May 2027)
Position Type: Paid, part-time, 10-15 hours/week
Start Date: August 3 (negotiable)
Application Deadline: The first review will be on May 27, 2026, after which applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) is hiring a Communications Intern (10-15 hours/week) to promote the work of CEGA and our faculty network and better translate research into action. The paid internship will start in August 2026 and end in January 2027, with the option to renew for the spring 2027 semester.
About CEGA
The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) is a hub for research, training, and innovation headquartered at the University of California, Berkeley. We generate insights that decision-makers can use to improve policies, programs, and people’s lives. Our best-in-class academic network includes over 200 faculty, 90 scholars from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)—primarily from East and West Africa—and hundreds of graduate students from diverse academic disciplines who produce rigorous evidence about what works to expand education, health, and economic opportunities for people living in poverty. Our business model involves curating and funding policy-relevant research agendas in collaboration with global leaders, investing in research capacity, and strategically connecting research and ideas to inform decision-making by governments, NGOs, and the private sector.
CEGA is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion—please read our values statement here.
Position Overview
The intern will work with staff, students, and faculty across the center to develop multimedia content, disseminate research through social media, monitor press coverage, support website operations, and lead special projects. The ideal candidate will understand the fundamentals of good storytelling and brand identity and possess some experience developing and executing communications products. They should have poise and experience communicating with a variety of actors on a variety of platforms. They will report to CEGA’s Manager of Strategic Communications and Events.
Responsibilities
Research Dissemination
- Solicit, compile, and edit materials from staff to produce high quality outputs on short timelines, including project descriptions, blog posts, dashboards, and more.
- Coordinate the production of the center’s bi-monthly opportunities digest.
- Manage CEGA’s Working Paper Series by posting new content from staff and faculty affiliates.
Events
- Support the production and design of multimedia collateral for our programs and events.
- Conduct vendor research, solicit bids, and assist in organizing event logistics.
Social Media
- Create and share a variety of content through CEGA’s X, BlueSky, LinkedIn accounts, and other outlets. Identify key opportunities for CEGA to respond to breaking news or hot topics.
- Analyze, report, and respond to social media activity and trends.
- Track web and digital media analytics and report metrics to better understand our user groups.
Design
- Assist in the creation of graphics for social media, websites, marketing materials, and presentations, using CEGA brand, photo, and language guidelines.
Media Relations
- Track media mentions and publications of CEGA and our affiliated researchers and use this content to keep CEGA’s website, social media, and other communications outputs current, clear, and engaging.
Essential Qualifications
- Relevant communications experience and advanced writing skills with precise, clear, and vibrant language.
- Exposure to development economics, social science research, and/or policy-making.
- Ability to anticipate, plan, prioritize, and meet deadlines. Capacity to handle multiple projects at once and effectively manage time. Ability to manage a time-sensitive workflow, while maintaining accuracy with details.
- Familiarity with relevant tools and platforms, including WordPress, TinyURL, Buffer, Canva, MailChimp, and/or similar programs.
- Fluency with a variety of social media platforms and strong understanding of platform best practices.
- Demonstrated professionalism and discretion, deploying sound judgment when selecting photos and sharing news and information publicly.
- Self-motivated, detail-oriented, hard worker.
Desired Qualifications:
- High-level of knowledge in design software, such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Figma, and more.
- Experience using Google Analytics to analyze metrics and generate insights.
- Experience creating data visualizations and using business intelligence platforms like AirTable, Tableau, and ArcGIS.
- Fluency with AP, MLA, or Chicago style.
Compensation
CEGA compensates undergraduate interns (i.e., undergraduate students, bachelor degree holders, or equivalent) at $23/hour and graduate student interns (graduate students, graduate degree holders, or equivalent) at $27/hour.
How to Apply
To apply, submit an updated resume, cover letter, and a writing sample (eg: blog, abstract, LinkedIn post, etc.) as a single PDF.
Your cover letter should explain why your experience makes you the ideal candidate for this position, and should be no more than one page.
The first review will be on May 27, 2026, after which applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. This is a fully remote position, with the option to work from our offices in Berkeley, CA.
Approximate hours per week: Full time
Contract type: Consultant
Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible for full consideration.
Desired start date: ASAP, as early as June 1, 2026
Duration: 12 months
Location: Rwanda
Overview
The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) is a hub for research, training and innovation headquartered at the University of California, Berkeley. We generate insights that decision-makers can use to improve policies, programs, and people’s lives. Our best-in-class academic network includes nearly 200 faculty, 80 scholars from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)—primarily from East and West Africa—and hundreds of graduate students from diverse academic disciplines who produce rigorous evidence about what works to expand education, health, and economic opportunities for people living in poverty. Our business model involves curating policy-relevant research agendas in collaboration with development leaders, overseeing competitive grant-making to answer critical questions, investing in research capacity, and strategically connecting research and ideas to inform decision-making by governments, NGOs, and the private sector.
CEGA seeks a motivated Research Assistant (RA) to manage the digitization and feasibility testing of a successful behavioral intervention designed to boost planning and savings for low-income households across sub-Saharan Africa.
The RA will work under the guidance of Professor Supreet Kaur and other team researchers, as well as GiveDirectly, the project’s locally-based implementation partner. This work is part of CEGA’s Psychology and Economics of Poverty Initiative, which explores the psychological consequences of poverty and downstream impacts on health, economics outcomes and child development.
Core Function
The RA will digitally adapt a successful paper-based behavioral intervention - “the retrieval exercise” - that helps low-income households budget and achieve their savings goals for the future. The core work involves digitizing an AI chatbot-powered tool to deliver the intervention via smartphone, incorporated directly into a cash transfer program in partnership with GiveDirectly.
Background
This work is informed by this team’s previous research on seasonal hunger, a common problem in Sub-Saharan Africa. Farmers often harvest their crops once per year, but then run out of food in the months before the next harvest—a period known as “the hungry season.” Over the past two years, the research team developed a simple, low-cost retrieval intervention based on principles from psychology to help farmers better smooth their maize consumption. An initial randomized control trial (RCT) with 850 households in Zambia found large effects: treated households entered the hungry season with one month more of food in savings, and had 10% higher harvest revenue due to increased farm investments. This successful intervention is now being adapted and tested at scale with One Acre Fund in Malawi. Previous projects have been funded by the Weiss Asset Management Foundation, USAID’s Development Innovation Ventures, the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), the UC Davis Feed the Future Innovation Lab Markets, Risk and Resilience Program, US National Science Foundation and the Center for Effective Global Action.
Position Description
The RA should be capable of, and excited about, designing, adapting and piloting field-based behavioral interventions, with excellent organizational and people management skills. They should have a deep interest in the psychology of poverty, a solid understanding of behavioral science design principles, and field experience designing/implementing projects in LMICs. This role will be responsible for coordinating work with GiveDirectly in Rwanda. This role will work in close collaboration with the CEGA research team, and will have team support for back-end management of project components.
The RA will be tasked with adapting, field and pilot testing a digital version of the retrieval intervention tailored to a new context and use-cases. The role will include two main components:
- Develop an AI-powered digital version of the intervention. The RA will lead the adaptation of the current paper-based intervention to a digital, AI powered version. They will use turn.io (a simple AI-powered chatbot interface) to create the digital version of the intervention that will be delivered over Whatsapp to participants. This includes leading qualitative fieldwork (focus groups and debriefs) and iterative testing with participants, in order to help the project team arrive at a revised intervention design for pilot testing.
- Pilot intervention: Lead pilot testing of the adapted intervention. This includes piloting the intervention with groups of potential recipients/beneficiaries, including possible A/B testing of different versions of the intervention, measuring take-up and short term outcomes, identifying successes and areas for improvement, and synthesizing results for implementing partner GiveDirectly.
This position is located in-person in Rwanda.
While the minimum commitment is for 12 months, this is a role with considerable room for professional growth in coming years.
Responsibilities
- Support the effective digital AI-powered adaptation and testing of our existing behavioral savings intervention
- Qualitative fieldwork with potential participants to improve the tool
- Oversee feasibility testing of the AI-powered digital tool
- Coordinate research partners including UC Berkeley, and local implementing organization
- Develop intervention training protocols and potentially lead trainings implementation extension staff
- Support feasibility testing data collection and set up protocols to monitor fidelity
- Manage project workflows and timelines
- Manage all aspects of project implementation across multiple country contexts
- Work closely with Principal Investigators and partners to track project progress and troubleshoot challenges that arise
- Manage partner relationships to ensure clear communication between all parties and smooth adaptation and testing
- Support the development of sampling plans and a field management plan for conducting surveys (as needed)
- Ensure quality control for data collection and data management activities, including high-frequency data checks (as needed)
- Conduct data analysis and contribute to written project material
Required Qualifications
- Must be willing to be physically based in Rwanda.
- Minimum of two (2) years relevant work/research fieldwork experience
- Experience living and working in LMICs
- Self-directed, intrinsically motivated; proven capacity to manage work independently
- Ability to remain flexible, demonstrate resourcefulness, and adapt to change
- Cultural sensitivity, positive can-do attitude, a sense of humor, and demonstrated ability to work diplomatically, proactively, and with integrity across diverse constituencies
- Experience cultivating relationships and interfacing with implementing, government, funding partners in LMICs
- Experience with project management; ability to work independently and manage complex and competing priorities
- Strong written and oral communication skills in English. Additional language skills helpful.
- Familiarity with Microsoft and Google Suite, and data collection software like SurveyCTO
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with digital or app-based development economics interventions
- Background/interest in Psychology is highly beneficial
Remuneration
Competitive and commensurate with experience, in line with GiveDirectly’s Rwanda office compensation scale.
Questions?
Contact administrative contact Sabrina Spatny (cega-hr@berkeley.edu)
To Apply
Please submit the following documents:
- Resume/CV (required)
- Cover letter (required)
- Academic transcripts (preferred)
- Names of 2-3 potential references (references will only be contacted later in the interview stage and with your consent)
Given the volume of applications received, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.